This invention relates to dental appliances and mouthguards, and more particularly to dental appliances and mouthguards with antimicrobial additives to resist the growth of fungus, yeast, virus, bacteria and the like which may cause illness, infection or gum disease.
It is well known that athletes who are in contact sports wear mouthguards to protect their teeth from sharp blows as well as to protect the head and temporomandibular joint from concussion. Mouthguards are common in football, hockey, soccer, rugby, boxing, for example. Mouthguards may be considered a subgroup of dental appliances.
There is also a trend for athletes, such as body builders, weight lifters, baseball batters, golfers, football players, hockey players, and bowlers to wear dental appliances to prevent the clenching of their teeth during exertion which results in hundreds of pounds of compressed force exerted from the lower jaw onto the upper jaw. Teeth clenching also occurs in bruxing and child birthing. Clenching can result in headaches, muscle spasms, damage to teeth and injury to the temporomandibular joint as well as pain in the jaw. Thus, dental appliances have been created having posterior pads to be positioned between the upper and lower teeth to prevent clenching and damage to one""s teeth and jaw structures.
It also is well known that there are dental appliances for a myriad of other uses. Splints, which look like mouthguards, are used for bleaching of teeth, while other appliances may be used to control breathing and snoring. Dentists also use appliances in administering to teeth during dentistry.
It is well known that the mouth and articles that are repeatedly placed into the mouth are subject to the growth of fungus, yeast, virus, and bacteria thereon. One method for treatment to resist such growth includes sterilization. Washing or application of antimicrobial agents is also another method of cleansing appliances.
There is a need for dental appliances of a variety of shapes and uses which resist growth of fungus, yeast, virus and bacteria on the dental appliance as well as on the mouth itself which otherwise may result in gum diseases.
A dental appliance adapted to lie within the mouth of a person consisting of occlusal posterior pads optionally with a connective arch or a unshaped style base with upstanding labial and/or buccal walls. An antimicrobial additive is incorporated into the resin concentrate prior to molding of the dental appliance which will permit controlled migration from the appliance internal regions to the surface of the appliance.
A principle object and advantage of the present invention is the addition of antimicrobial agents to the appliance to resist the growth of fungus, yeast, virus and bacteria thereon.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that the antimicrobial agent may be delivered from the appliance directly into the mouth and over the gums to treat and prevent gum diseases.
Another object and advantage of the present invention is that an appliance with the antimicrobial agent will not require sterilization or other extensive cleansing to remove or destroy fungus, yeast, virus and bacteria.
Other objects and advantages will become obvious with the reading of the following specification and appended claims with a review of the figures.